


Saw Her

by RikkuShinra



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 05:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikkuShinra/pseuds/RikkuShinra
Summary: He knew she was the one from the first glance. She knew he always and forever would be no more than a dashing stranger. Now if she could get her stomach to stop fluttering every time he walked by.





	Saw Her

**Author's Note:**

> Moved from FF.NET.

The first time Gaston saw Belle it was the first warm day of Spring. Claudette stood before him, her hand grasping the white lily he had bought her. Her face held all the adoration and love of a budding relationship. Gaston in all his honor as a young gentleman was dressed in his best, like always and was out to spoil the current flavor of his love.

"Hé! Girl, get your nose out of that book and watch what you're doing!" The florist shouted, his vases dumped into the market. The girl, at least fourteen, blushed quickly putting the book she had in her basket. She quickly helped the florist gather the flowers.

The man rolled his eyes, his wife leveling the girl with a glare. Claudette frowned as the muddy water hit her shoes. She looked up, her glare following the younger teen. Gaston stood up, eyes trailing after the brown-haired girl.

"Ugh, that Belle is such a clutz! Look at my new shoes!"Claudette whined stomping her foot. Gaston paid her no attention. "Gaston, are you listening?"

The raven-haired youth shook his head, "I'm going to marry that girl." Claudette frowned, crossing her arms.

"Pardon?" Claudette stood straight, the lily stem bending in her hand. Gaston looked at her, confused.

"That girl, Belle is her name. Correct?" He turned away from Claudette, "I am going to marry her. Yes, Belle will be my wife." The blonde watched her paramour walk off, she no longer existed to him. The lily snapped in half, the pristine white flower landing in the mud.

* * *

When Gaston properly met Belle it was a few years after he had first seen her. Phillipe bounded through the forest, the young girl clung to the horse trying to calm him down. In the far distance wolves howled, the source that causes the stallion to dart through the forest without consideration to the rider.

"Phillipe!" Belle shouted tears streaming down her face. She felt her shoe slip off and she clung tighter grasping the horse's mane. This seemed to urge him on and his gallop turned into a full sprint.

"Hey! Mademoiselle!" slowly Belle opened her eyes watching as the black mare rushed at a full gallop beside her.

"Help me!" Belle tried sitting up, but fear took over as water splashed up spraying her in the face. She screamed her hold loosening on the reins.

"Give me your hand!" Belle peaked, grasping the glove-clad hand. The man pulled her into his horse. The horse snorted and the three watched as Phillipe darted out of the water. "Are you alright?" The girl looked up, brushing her wet hair back from her face.

"Thank you." The man nodded dismounting. Belle fixed herself onto the horse holding onto the reins while he held the lead. The man was looking down every so often. "What are you doing?"

"Tracking, your horse was going rather fast. Seems he got lost." Belle frowned as the man climbed into the saddle behind her, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. The man, much to Belle's relief, didn't notice as he directed his horse into a thick area of trees. The loud, fearful whines of Phillipe reached their ears and they soon found the tan stallion. Phillipe reared up trying to untangle himself from the tree failing horribly. "Shhh." Belle watched as her rescuer slowly dismounted, reaching into the saddle bag for a rope. He held his hands up approaching the frightened horse. Phillipe tried to go around the trunk, only managing to tie his reins tighter.

"Your okay boy, you're very handsome. Aren't you? Mystique thinks so." The mare snorted in disagreement, shaking her head. "What's your name?"

"Phillipe." The man nodded, rubbing the horse's neck.

"Lover of Horses...did you name him Mademoiselle?" Belle nodded, but the man wasn't looking at her, but instead at the stallion before him. Phillipe had calmed down considerably, as the man hummed to him. The horse huffed into the man's hair, trying to get him to look up. Belle watched intently her eyes watching as the man tied the rope around the horse's neck. He leaned down, pulling a hunting knife from his boot. With a quick pull Phillipe was free, his reins, now cut and knotted to the tree; hung there. He leads the horse over patting its neck, holding the rope out to her.

"He won't run off will he?" The man shook his head no as he tied Phillipe to the horn of the saddle. The man climbed on behind her. Slowly they made their way back to the road.

"If, just for courtesies sakes, I may ask why would you be out here this late at night?" Belle looked down.

"I was running away." The reins tightened a bit and the horse stopped.

The man frowned, "horrible home life?"

Belle shook her head, "no this town!" She threw her hands up. "Everyone thinks I'm weird and my father is some crazy nut." She could feel the man nod, his 'hmm' against her back. "And those triplets! I don't believe I have said a word, one single word to them since I moved here. Yet, they hate me. They make things up about me, don't they have some guy to chase around?" She felt the man shrug.

"Running really doesn't help. Villeneuve is a small town, people here don't like different. They are scared of it." She huffed, crossing her arms. "It's safe." Belle frowned, her father always said that when she complained about the town.

"I just want adventures in far off places." She muttered more to herself than in the conversation.

The man chuckled, "with daring princes and dashing knights?"

She couldn't help but blush thinking of the man behind her. He himself was handsome. His black hair wasn't native to Villeneuve. The triplets, whose hair was as black as night had been dyed, the many other residents had brown hair of varying shades, sure some had darker brown, but nothing as black as coal. His eyes, a bright blue, like the sky, those were definitely not of Villanuvian heritage. He was also rather athletically inclined, she had noticed. "And sword fights." She added, enthusiastically trying to take her mind off the stranger. The moon shined down on them as they cleared the tree line. In the distance, Villeneuve shined brightly with candle flame. As they drew closer the shouts of villagers reached their ears. At one of the gates stood a redhead and a short rotund man. The short man jumped up as they neared, he turned to the other man, who stood and ran into the village. The short man ran up to them.

"Gaston!"

"LeFou?"

The short man, LeFou, smiled as he breathed a sigh of relief, "you found the girl! Oh, Mademoiselle Belle your father has been worried about you! We have all been searching for you." Belle frowned, the town had looked for her?

Gaston frowned,  _Belle?_  The person of his affections and many messy mornings had spent a better part of the day with  _him_. He saved  _her._ His heart skipped a beat. "I will deliver the Mademoiselle to her father Lefou." The man nodded moving out of the way as the horse trotted past, Phillipe following sluggishly.

As they made their way through the town a few villagers shook their heads. The rare friendly ones stopped them to welcome Belle back. The triplets sighed, loudly as they watched the pair ride past.

"Look at her!"

"Such a tart! He's mine."

"Monsieur Gaston, oh he's so cute!"

"And charming!"

"So brave!"

Belle frowned, she really disliked those three so much. Gaston reached down patting his horse's neck. The screech of the girls reached their ears as mud splattered onto them. Belle glanced back, her eyes widening as she noted the dark spots on their dresses.

Maurice jumped up hearing the familiar neigh of Phillipe. Belle sat astride Mystique as Phillipe was placed into the barn. As quick as he could, Maurice swung the door open and flew out the door. Which turned into a stumble as his shoe caught the threshold. Quickly the old man caught himself, rushing down the stairs. Gaston helped Belle dismount, stepping back as her father rushed forward to hug her.

"Oh Belle, never do that again!" He drew back holding her at a distance. "I cannot lose you as well." The girl nodded, pulling him into a hug. After a while the two separated, Maurice looking up at Gaston. "Capitan, thank you for bringing her home."

"It was no problem, Monsieur Maurice."

Maurice shook his head, "you're a fine lad, how about dinner. Tomorrow, I will not accept no as an answer. Be here at six."

Gaston nodded, "yes sir. Well, it is late. Bonne nuit Monsieur." He took Belle's hand, kissing the back. "Bonne nuit, Mademoiselle. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Merci, Monsieur nuit." Maurice led Belle back to their house, silently reprimanding her.

"Now the Captian, he seems nice." Gaston stopped wrapping the rope, listening intently as they entered the home.

"Papa!" Belle shook her head closing the door. Gaston smirked the old man wasn't dropping the subject even as his daughter grew more disgruntled.


End file.
